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Show 236 UNCLE 'fOi\( ~ CAUIN: OH, with a curtain of some kind of }.loOI·ish sluff, and could bo drawn down at pleasure, to exclude the beams of the sun. On the whole, the nppearancc of the place wns luxurious and romantic. As the caniage drove in, Eva. seemed like n. bird ready to burst from a cage, with the wild eagerness of her delight. "O, is n't it bcautifttl, lovely ! my own dear, darling home ! " she said to :Miss Ophelia. ':Isn't it beautiful?" "'Tis a pretty pbcc,·' said :Miss Ophelia, as she alighted; ''though it looks rather old and heathenish to me." 'fom got down from the carrioge, and looked o.bout with an air of calm, still enjoyment. 'l1hc negro, it must be remembered, is nn exotic of tho most gorgeous and superb countries of the world, and he has, deep in his heart, a passion for nll that is splendid, rich, and fanciful; a passion which, rudely indulged by an untrained taste, dmws on them the ridicule of the colder and more correct whjte rncc .. St. Clare, who wns in his heart a poetiml voluptuary, smiled as l\iiss Ophelin. made her remark on his premises, and, turning to 'l'om, who was standing looking round, his beaming black face perfect! y radiant with admiration, he said, "'£om, my boy, this seems to suit you." "Yes, Mas'r, it looks about tl1e right thing," said Tom. All this passed in a moment, while trunks were being hustled off, hackman paid, and while a crowd, of all ages and sizes,- men, women, and children,-came running through the galleries, both above and below, to sec :Mas1r come in. Foremost among them was a highly·dresscd young mulatt.o man, evidently n. very distingue personage, attired in the ultra extreme of the mode, and gracefully waving a scented cambric handkerchief in his hand. Lll~E AMONG THE LOWLY. 237 'rhis personage had been exerting himself, with great alacrity, in driving all the flock of domestics to the other end of the verandah. "Dack! all of you. I am nsha.mcd of you," he said, in a tone of authority. " \Vould you intrude on 1\iustcr's domestic rchtions, in tho fi rst hour of his return?" All looked "bashed at this elegant speech, delivered with quite an uir, and stood huddled together n.t a respectful distance, except two stout porters, who came up and began eonyeying away the baggage. Owing to 1\'Tr. Adolph's systemn.tic arrangements, when St. Clare turned round from paying the hackman, there was nobody in view but :Mr. Adolph himself, conspicuous in satin vest, gold guard-chain, and white pants, and bowing with inexpressible grace and suavity. "Ab, Adolph, is it you?" said his master , offering his hand to him; " how arc you, hoy?" while Adolph poured forth, with gren.t fluency, an extemporary speech, which he had been preparing, with great care, for a fortnight before. "Well, well," said St. Clare, passing on, with his usual air of negligent drollery, "that's very well got up, Adolph. See that the baggage is well bestowed. I '11 come to the people in a minute ;" and, so saying, he Jed lVUss Ophelia to a large parlor that openod on to the verandah. While this bad been passing, Eva had flown like a bird, through the porch and parlor, to a little boudoir opening likewise on the verandah. A tall, dark-eyed, sallow woman, half rose from a couch on which she was reclining. "Mamma ! " said Eva, in a sort of a. rapture, throwing herself on her neck, and embracing her over and over again. "That 'II do,- take care, child, -don't, you make my |